title: Moment-to-moment transfer of positive emotions in daily life predicts future course of depression in both general population and patient samples.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Positive affect (PA) is closely linked to prevention of, and recovery from, depression. Previous studies have investigated PA reactivity to pleasant situations with respect to its protective properties in relation to mood disorder. The purpose of this study was to examine, and replicate, whether moment-to-moment transfer of PA in daily life (PA persistence) is relevant to the prediction of future course of depression.
  
  
  METHODS
  Individuals from three different studies (one general population sample (n=540), and two patient samples (n=43 and n=50) with matching controls (n=39 and n=21, respectively)) participated in an Experience Sampling Method (ESM) study. Time-lagged multilevel analyses were used to assess the degree of transfer (or persistence) of momentary positive affective states over time, in relation to naturalistic outcome (study 1) or treatment outcome (studies 2 and 3). Depressive symptoms were measured using the Symptom Checklist (SCL-90R) in sample 1 and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) in samples 2 and 3.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In study 1, participants with greater momentary PA persistence were less likely to show depressive symptoms at follow-up. In study 2, patients were more likely to respond to treatment if they displayed greater momentary PA persistence, particularly in those with recurrent depression. In study 3, patients with greater momentary PA persistence were similarly more likely to respond to treatment, especially when treated with imipramine rather than placebo.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The ability to transfer PA from one moment to the next is an important factor in the prevention of and recovery from depressive symptoms. Patients with recurrent depression and those who receive antidepressants rather than placebo may benefit most from this effect. The results suggest that treatment-induced improvement in depression is mediated by increased levels of momentary transfer of PA in daily life, acquisition of which may be contingent on duration of exposure to depressive experience.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Höhn
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Menne-Lothmann
authors.forename: Frenk
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Peeters
authors.forename: Nancy A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Nicolson
authors.forename: Nele
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Derom
authors.forename: Evert
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Thiery
authors.forename: Jim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: van Os
authors.forename: Marieke
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wichers
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology*; D000368:Aged; D003863:Depression / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult